While the debate on how stressed our trout are continues along with the drought let me pose this eternal question. Most reels are reversable and can be used either from the left or right side. I know that I have reels that are set up on both sides. What is the general preference and the reasons or excuses for making this life choice. Since the fishing is lousy thought this might generate some input....thanks.

i choose to real with my left hand simply because that's the most comfortable for me. also considering its more comfortable for me to strip line with my left and cast with my right, and i don't like to switch hands once hooking a fish.

And I'm the exact opposite. I'm right-handed, cast with my right and reel in with my right. When I buy a reel I always have to remind Daniel to set it up for a left-hander. Don't know why that is . When I get one on, I set the hook, strip/retrieve some line with my left hand, apply just enough pressure and then transfer the rod to my left hand.

I have a theory that may or may not make sense. Since I can't always get the fish on the reel right away, a lot of that line that I've stripped in begins to get pulled downstream before I can begin reeling it in. I prefer to have it pulled past my left side where it'll be out of the way of my net. (Remember, I've got my rod in my left hand so I can net with my right hand -- if necessary.) I find it easier to reel in that excess line if it's off to my left. When I'm cranking in with my right hand, the excess line naturally stays out of my way. Make sense??

I probably should've said that that is my theory for preparedness since I rarely catch anything anymore and really have no need to either reel or net .

I also fish a lot with my son who is left handed. It's very convenient at those times when he's buldogging a bruiser and needs someone to hold his rod while he nets the pig . No, seriously... I have noticed that Brett and I can actually stand side by side while casting and fishing a tailwater and not have to worry about crossing lines (as long as he's standing on my left and I get to cast first...HA!)

I also brush my teeth with my left hand. I've never been able to brush them with my right and I have no theory at all about that .

Right-handed, cast with my right, reel with my right, brush my teeth with my right. I know this is not the best way, but I learned to fish from my old man, and he was self-taught. My brother and I have inherited the mistakes he made as a young man 40 years ago. I don't think it hampers me that much, but there have been times in the past that I have had a big fish on, and I have had a little trouble getting him back on the reel so he can fight the drag and not just me, squeezing the line and guessing how much tension I am applying.

__________________
Life is hard. But it's a lot harder if you're stupid.

I like to reel with my left hand. I cast right handed, so do not have to switch hands. I grew up bass fishing though and reeled baitcasters with the right and spinning reels with the left. In this I am nearly ambidextrious! Some people reel much faster with their right hand and they really should set their reels up that way. You know it is really a matter of personal preference, like just about everything in this sport ............... but the only way is my way! Kidding !

Strong arm fights the fish (on a big fish, I like this in particular) With an old Hardy though you wouldn't have a choice. They can only be set up to be reeled with the right hand.
It may even be too warm for me to fish this weekend, unless I can get up real early.
Best,
John

I'm primarily left handed.
I throw left handed,
I write left handed,
I switch hit when I used to play baseball
I swing a golf club right handed
I eat with both hands (usually both hands at the same time)

I usually cast with my left hand, but I'm equally bad at casting with my right hand and have only slightly more preference for casting left handed. My son is right handed and with me being a lefty and him right handed, we can work opposite sides of the pool and stream without getting in each other's way.

I have the reel set up to reel with left hand. So, yes, I guess I do switch hands from casting to reeling. I never really thought about it until reading this post.

I cast with my right and strip the line in when I catch a fish with my left as my reel is for right-handed crank. This is totally foreign to a spin fisher who cranked for 30 years with my left hand. My reel is right-handed not because I choose it that way but because I began this spring with my fly fishing on a new 1972 Pflueger Medalist that I got as a gift years ago and never used and that, as far as I can tell, cannot be switched. As it turns out, it really doesn't seem to matter since I do pull a fish in by stripping the line. Didn't learn it that way, just started doing it that way from the first fish I caught. So far not a problem.

So, it won't do me a bit of good to rethink my strategy like Jeff appears to be doing - sometimes you just deal with the cards your dealt. The only fix for me would be a new reel.